FKJGP demands release of KSU president in 48-hours

Mounting pressure on the state government to release arrested Khasi Students Union president Daniel Khyriem, pro-Inner Line Permit pressure groups have set a 48-hour deadline for the state government for his unconditional release and dropping of all charges.
The state government was given the deadline hours after the KSU leader was arrested from here last night and was charged with arson related cases besides property damages.
"We will resort to agitation if the government fails to drop all cases within 48 hours," Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) president Joe Marwein said.
At least 12 pressure groups from across the state would meet next Monday here to decide on their course of action in case their demand was not met, Marwein said.

Condemning the arrest of Khyriem, the FKJGP leader termed it as "unfortunate" and said the state government has betrayed the pressure groups on the assurances it made in July last year of dropping all cases and charges in the damage suit filed by the government.
In the mean time, security was beefed up in areas identified in at least seven districts of the Khasi Jaintia Hills region after a vehicle and a shop was torched last night.

"Additional forces have been deployed in the district to thwart any attempt by miscreants to disrupt law and order," district SP M Kharkrang said.

He also warned of more arrests in the near future as none of the top leaders who were issued bailable warrants the special court have accepted the summons.
According to the SP, the KSU chief was charged in at least seven registered cases.
The state government had filed a recovery suit in a special court set up specifically for trials of cases related to violation of the Supreme Court order on bandhs, besides other forms of agitations and various clauses of the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act.